Improvement in barbs for wire fences



J. W. NADELHOFPBR. Barb for Wire Fences.

No. 201,889. Patented April.2,.I878.

FIGS.

w; dggg @7 Ef I ATTORNEYS NPEI'ERS. FHOYQUYHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D. C,

I coils or twists of the fence-wire, and having JOHN W. NADELHOFFER,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

OF DE KALB, ILLINOIS.

v IMPROVEMENT IN BARBS FOR WIRE FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,889, dated April 2, 1878 application filed d December 13, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. NAnELHoF- FER, of De Kalb, in the county of De Kalb and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBarbs for Wire Fences and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in barbs for that class of wire fences -in which two or more Wires are twisted or woven together; and it consists of a barb formed from a single piece of wire, made staple-shaped in form, and having its ends passed through between, and so as to embrace, one or more its ends bent outward in opposite directions over the top strand of the included coil, forming shoulders, which brace against the opposite or under strand, as will be fully hereinaftcr explained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a portion of a fence-wire with my improved barb applied thereto, and Figs. -2 and 3 are views of the barb detached.

The barb is made from a single straight wire of any desired length, having its ends made sharp or pointed in the usual manner. The equal portions or ends a a are turned parallel to each other and at right angles to the body of the wire, and are of suflicie-nt length, so that when the barb is applied to the fence-cablefthey will pass through between different coils of the strands and form the spikes or points. When thus constructed, the barb is in theshape of a square staple, as shown in Fig. 3. I

b is the fence wire or cable, formed of the two strands b b, twisted together, as shown.

The barb a is applied to the cable b as follows: lhe strands b b are first separated, by any suitable instrument, at two different places, so as to include or embrace between the separations one or more of the coils or twists of the strands b b, as shown in'Fig. l. The points or ends a a are then passed through between the strands until the body a? lies close against and along the cable and over the coils included between the inserted ends a a The points or ends a a, are now I bent outward in opposite directions overthe top of that strand which is uppermost in the coil next it and included between the saidpoints or ends, and downward to the same plane. This draws the portion a firmly against the under strand, and makes a firm lock or fastening for the barb.

I The bending down of the points 00 a, as described, forms shoulders a a between the projecting ends and the portion a These shoulders a brace firmly against the under strand of the coil, as shown in Fig. 1. When applied to the cable it cannot be displaced, nor the points pushed back through between the strands, and thereby be rendered loose and comparatively useless.

Any pressure or force brought against the points a a will be effectually resisted by the shoulders a a bearing against the under strand.

This barb may be applied very rapidly to fences already erected, all the implements necessary for use in attaching it being a strong awl or pointed piece of iron and a pair of ordinary pinchers. It strengthens the cable b by reason, of its embracing one or more of the coils, and thereby forming a binding link or coupling. It is cheap, and easily ap- I plied.

I am aware of the existence of the patent to O. H. Salisbury, No. 177,752, and I do not claim the invention set forth in his specification.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

The combination, with the strands b b" in opposite directions over the upper strand and down to the same plane, forming shoulders a a which brace against the opposite or under strand, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. NADELHOFFER.

Witnesses:

W. PLANK, E. S. MONROE. 

